Although Robert Pasuta was absent, the vote is unlikely to be overturned when it goes to council for approval next Wednesday. Pasuta, himself a man of few words, says he’ll support the cap. After all, it reflects his own philosophy: “Think about what you’re going to say and don’t blabber on because who listens?” (Source: Andrew Dreschel, Hamilton Spectator)

Hamilton councillors offer civic rings to former colleagues

Should former Hamilton councillors Brad Clark and Scott Duvall be recognized for their political service to the community?

Mountain councillor Tom Jackson said he “felt bad” those former politicians didn’t receive some acknowledgment for their years of sacrifice from the city and council.

It was one of the reasons why Jackson supported a city staff recommendation to update a policy to give departing, retiring or deceased councillors a civic ring.

March 10, 2011

Rose Caterina, city clerk, said the policy wasn’t updated for council’s 2010-to-2014 term, which meant Clark, who didn’t run for re-election in Ward 9 in 2014 but instead ran for mayor and lost to Mayor Fred Eisenberger, didn’t receive a ring.

Duvall, who was re-elected in Ward 7 but resigned after becoming the Hamilton Mountain NDP MP, also didn’t receive a ring.

Jackson defended the city providing civic rings to former councillors, saying it is some form of recognition of their hard work on behalf of the community.

“This is nothing ostentatious at all,” said Jackson, who spoke on behalf of issuing civic rings during the May 30 governance review subcommittee. “This is just a small way of saying thanks for the many years of service.”

The subcommittee approved the recommendation to provide civic rings to outgoing, retiring and deceased councillors. About $5,000 per term would be allocated to purchase the rings. Councillors Maria Pearson and Ancaster councillor Lloyd Ferguson both supported the idea. (Source: Hamilton News)

Eisenberger takes on ‘foolish’ LRT critics

Mayor Fred Eisenberger has come out swinging against surging opposition to LRT among city councillors, which now includes a referendum pledge and “informal discussions” about approaching the province for a new transit deal.

July 27, 2016

“I think it’s unfortunate and foolish to go down this road,” said Eisenberger, vowing to do everything “humanly possible” to get council to stay the course on the $1-billion provincially-funded project.

Eisenberger warns that if council votes for a referendum it will stop the LRT implementation process dead in its tracks and possibly kill the project.

Additionally, he says it’s “foolhardy” for councillors to believe there’s an alternative deal to be had with the province to redirect money earmarked for transit into infrastructure repairs.

“I think the province will take a pretty dim view of coming back with some alternate plans to what we’ve supported, nurtured and asked for.”

May 27, 2015

The mayor was responding to Coun. Chad Collins’ promise to bring forward a motion next spring to include the contentious LRT issue as a referendum question on the October 2018 municipal election ballot.

Eisenberger says if councillors oppose LRT they shouldn’t be “hiding behind” a plebiscite.

“If they really want to kill LRT then they should own it and they should put a motion forward to do exactly that and stand up and be counted.”

October 28, 2014

Eisenberger was also taking issue with backroom talks about exploring alternatives to the project, which will run from McMaster University to Queenston traffic circle, with a spur line on James North.

Coun. Donna Skelly told The Spectator she hopes that “informal discussions” currently taking place will result in the city approaching the province for a new deal.

The outspoken LRT critic says a number of councillors are looking at options of how to secure the provincial funding for some other form of rapid transit but also put money toward the city’s $3.5 billion infrastructure deficit. (Continued: Hamilton Spectator)

Don’t drive doomed bus-only lane yet: city

The city is asking motorists to stay out of the doomed bus-only lane on King Street until the signs come down – even if Hamilton police have already stopped handing out tickets.

City council voted 9-7 to axe the contentious two-kilometre experiment Wednesday night to the disappointment of a raucous crowd of largely pro-bus lane advocates.

But the city sent out a public warning Thursday morning that bus priority remains in force until all of the overhead signs are removed from Mary to Dundurn streets. Staff will meet this week “to develop a strategy” to reconvert the lane, including scrubbing lane markings and amending the actual bylaw.

Hamilton police, however, tweeted at virtually the same time that they “would no longer conduct enforcement” on the dedicated transit lane.

It is expected to cost about $100,000 to axe the bus-only lane and return street parking spots to pre-experiment locations. Much of that money won’t be spent until spring, when it’s warm enough to repaint the street.

Council’s decision appears to be just the start of an increasingly passionate battle over rapid transit in the city.

More than 100 people — many wearing yellow T-shirts and armbands to show bus lane solidarity — packed City Hall Wednesday in a rowdy, last-ditch show of support for the two-kilometre priority transit experiment.

The “disappointing” decision won’t stop newly awakened bus advocates from pushing for more transit improvements along the corridor, said Lindsay Godard, who helped organize a fledging transit user coalition that drummed up support for the meeting.

“We’re going to make sure the voice of the transit user is here the next time something like this comes up,” said Godard, noting council is about to consider a 10-year transit plan and the 2015 HSR budget pitch.

“We’ve learned there are obviously a lot of (residents) who are very passionate about transit.”

Godard said the group has signed up more than 200 members, including some angry residents who yelled “shame!” and “dinosaurs!” at councillors as they left council chambers after the vote.

The city is also still waiting to see if the province and rapid transit planning agency Metrolinx will approve Hamilton’s request for an $811-million light rail transit line.

The bus-only lane was meant to test-drive the city’s ability to deal with rapid transit in the B-line corridor. The city’s decision shows council has “imploded” on rapid transit planning, said Coun. Sam Merulla, who warned that Hamilton has effectively given its LRT cash to some other city.

Coun. Lloyd Ferguson — who was taunted by frustrated bus lane fans for a perceived conflict over his ownership of taxi plates — argued the bus-only lane served its purpose. (Source: Hamilton Spectator)

The chief told CHML’s Bill Kelly this morning that he wants to stay on and will ask the police board to consider his request Monday.

According to the CHML report, he says members of the public have asked him to stay and there are a number of projects he has been working on that are almost complete and he wants to see through.

The Spectator’s Andrew Dreschel has previously reported that philanthropist Charles Juravinski and businessman Ron Foxcroft are lobbying police board members to let De Caire say on.

De Caire has refused to comment to the Spectator or explain why he told the board last September he didn’t want another term after his five-year contract expires Dec. 31, 2014. The divided board accepted his resignation in a 4-3 vote last December.

The board has already hired a headhunting firm to find a new chief, a contract with a $80,000 price tag. (Source: Hamilton Spectator)